The Creative and Cultural Industries: Towards Sustainability and Recovery

We are delighted to introduce this Special Issue of Sustainability, entitled “The Creative and Cultural Industries: Towards Sustainability and Recovery”. During the last several decades, the creative and cultural industries (CCIs) have increasingly been recognized for their role in local, regional, national and supranational economies; as drivers of economic growth, development and regeneration; and for their social and cultural impacts on well-being, place making, inclusion, sustainability, diversity and culture. On the other hand, the COVID-19 crisis has exposed the fragility and precarity of an industry dominated by micro-businesses, freelance and informal work practices and few tangible assets, calling into question the sustainability of economic models based on a high level of precarity in employment practices. This has led to some efforts (undertaken by governments and public bodies) to protect this industry from the pandemic’s impact. At the same time, lockdowns have also highlighted the importance of creative activity in maintaining individual well-being and community resilience and the innovative potential of this industry.

In this context, this Special Issue addresses the broader research field of CCIs and its various subsectors, as well as its role in developing pathways towards sustainability, resilience and recovery. The articles featured in this Special Issue offer unique insights, methodologies and empirical evidence that contribute to our understanding of the creative and cultural industries’ multifaceted nature. Some notable contributions from this Special Issue include the following:

In “Out of Print: What the Pandemic-Era Newspaper Crisis in Australia Teaches Us about the Role of Rural and Regional Newspapers in Creating Sustainable Communities (Contribution 1)”, Olav Muurlink and Elizabeht Voneiff Marx explain that the news industry has been hit particularly hard by the move to online spaces, with dramatic cuts in revenues from sales and advertising. This article investigates Australia as a case study of the collapsing business models for print journalism.

“Cultural Mapping Tools and Co-Design Process: A Content Analysis to Layering Perspectives on the Creative Production of Space (Contribution 2)”, by Vanessa Ágata de Abreu Santos and Jan van der Borg, brings together different approaches to investigate a possible structure for multi-perspective layering toward participatory practices in the creative production of space.

“Creative Economy and Sustainable Development: Shaping Flexible Cultural Governance Model for Creativity (Contribution 3)”, by Wen-Jie Yan and Shu-Tang Liu, explores the impact of policy on the creative industries, arguing that the humanistic rationality of cultural governance has a significant improvement effect and stable role in promoting the governance of cultural policies.

“The Quintuple Bottom Line: A Framework for Place-Based Sustainable Enterprise in the Craft Industry (Contribution 4)”, by Inge Panneels, draws upon an analysis of the craft industry to propose the extension of the sustainable business framework of the ‘Quadruple Bottom Line’ to the Quintuple Bottom Line (purpose, profit, people, planet and place).

In “Live Music in the Time of Corona: On the Resilience and Impact of a Philharmonic Orchestra on the Urban Economy (Contribution 5)”, Johannes Glückler und Robert Panitz show that COVID-19 posed an existential threat to the music performance sector. This article explores the case of the Mannheim Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany to analyse the regional economic impact and financial resilience of the Orchestra in the face of COVID-19.

These articles, among others, offer diverse perspectives on the CCIs, providing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers and practitioners alike. They contribute to our knowledge base and inspire us to adopt innovative approaches that promote sustainability within these industries.

We express our appreciation to the authors who contributed their expertise and intellectual rigor to this Special Issue. We also express our gratitude to the dedicated reviewers for their insightful feedback and guidance, which were instrumental in ensuring the quality and impact of this Special Issue.